[tlug] Parallel port driving me nuts

[Godwin Stewart <gstewart@example.com>]

Hi all,

I'm trying to get my Slackware 8.0 box (2.4.18 kernel) to run as a print
server. For this, it obviously has to be able to print...

Apart from the steps which follow, I've managed to boot the box from a
floppy with the "other" O/S on it and successfully send some text to the
printer - it therefore isn't a hardware problem.

The parallel port *is* enabled in the BIOS setup (otherwise the above test
wouldn't have worked).

It is detected by the kernel upon startup. Extract from /var/log/messages:

Aug  6 17:54:55 spider kernel: parport0: PC-style at 0x378 [PCSPP,TRISTATE]
Aug  6 17:54:55 spider kernel: parport0: Printer, EPSON Stylus COLOR 600

Support is provided in the kernel (with IEEE1284 support):

# lsmod
Module                  Size  Used by
n_hdlc                  6128   1 (autoclean)
ipt_MASQUERADE          1328   1 (autoclean)
iptable_nat            13616   1 (autoclean) [ipt_MASQUERADE]
ip_conntrack           14192   1 (autoclean) [ipt_MASQUERADE iptable_nat]
iptable_filter          1728   1 (autoclean)
ip_tables              10720   5 [ipt_MASQUERADE iptable_nat iptable_filter]
usb-uhci               21872   0 (unused)
parport_pc             12432   0 (unused)
parport                13760   0 [parport_pc]
rtc                     6112   0 (autoclean)

The /dev/lp? device nodes *do* exist:

# ls -ls /dev/lp?
   0 crw-rw----    1 root     lp         6,   0 Apr 28  1995 /dev/lp0
   0 crw-rw----    1 root     lp         6,   1 Apr 28  1995 /dev/lp1
   0 crw-rw----    1 root     lp         6,   2 Apr 28  1995 /dev/lp2

So, in theory, I should be able to eject a sheet of paper by sending a form
feed to the printer, right?

# echo -n -e "\x0C" > /dev/lp0
bash: /dev/lp0: No such device

# echo -n -e "\x0C" > /dev/lp1
bash: /dev/lp1: No such device

# echo -n -e "\x0C" > /dev/lp2
bash: /dev/lp2: No such device


I've already done a fair amount of searching on google.com and everything I
found points to what I've already made sure of.

I'm open to suggestions!

TIA

-- 
God prefers spiritual fruit, not religious nuts...
 ____________________________________________
| G. Stewart   --   gstewart@example.com |
|                   gstewart@example.com     |
|--------------------------------------------|
| Linux User Group de Touraine               |
|                http://www.lug-touraine.org |
 ____________________________________________